(Emmet Otter's) Christmas in July

Some time ago I received an email from someone who had seen the Emmet Otter I had needle-felted for E two Christmases ago, asking if I would be willing to custom-make an Emmet and Ma Otter set for her daughter. Despite all of the usual crazy demands in my life--work, kids, grad school, etc.--I said, "sure!" with the caveat that it might take me a month or so to get them made. Well, here we are, four or five months later and I finally finished Emmet and Ma (good thing we're still a long way away from Christmas).

It's amazing with needle-felting, how nothing looks right until you put on the eyes (and the eyes are the last thing you do). I'm still not 100% satisfied with Ma's face, but I can't quite pin down what's wrong with it. Also, they look so sad with those down-turned animal mouths (but that's how they are in the book, so...).

As I was starting on Ma, her unformed body reminded me of a mummy (Z thought it was more like an owl pellet) and ever since then I've been trying to visualize how I would needle-felt a mummy complete with case and sarcophagus. Yes, Ancient Egypt is one more thing I can totally geek out on.